The Hong Kong Legislative Council has been unable to elect a new chairperson, and the differences between the pro-Beijing and pro-democracy members gave way to a full-blown scuffle on Friday, The Guardian reported. Lawmakers threw placards at each other and rushed to take the empty seat, the report added. The chaos in the House lasted for over an hour.

Starry Lee, the incumbent chair of the committee, had to be surrounded by security guards. She banished pro-democracy members from the room and warned them against breaching laws. Lee was also blamed for “seizing power”. “I am still the chairperson of the house committee. There is no such (claim) that I have no power to chair the meeting,” she was quoted as saying.